Overlapped loop towel clamp

ABSTRACT

A CLAMP FOR HOLDING A TOWEL, WASH CLOTH, OR THE LIKE, ON A WALL WHICH INCLUDES A LOOP MEMBER AND A CLAMP MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTED THEREON WHEREIN THE CLAMPING MEMBER HAS TWO PARTS, ONE BEING LOCATED ON EACH OF OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE LOOP SO THAT WHEN A CLOTH IS THREADED THROUGH THE TWO MEMBERS AND THE LOOP IT IS CLAMPED BY BEING PRESSED AGAINST THE LOOP BY EACH OF THE TWO MEMBERS UPON THE APPLICATION OF A FORCE ON THE CLOTH. MOVEMENT OF THE TWO PARTS OF THE SLIDER IS PERMITTED TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE LOOP BY TORSION BAR MEMBERS SPACED FROM THE PORTION   OF THE SLIDER WHICH ENGAGESD THE CLOTH. THE TORSION BARS ARE ALSO POSITIONED SO AS TO LIMIT SLIDING MOVEMENT OF THE SLIDER RELATIVE TO THE LOOP.

Nov. 23, 1971 c. A. NICKASON OVERLAPPED LOOP TOWEL CLAMP 2 Sheets-Shoot 1 Filed Aug. 50, 1968 1971 c. A. NICKASON OVERLAPPED LOOP TOWEL CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 50, 1968 United States Patent 3,621,538 OVERLAPPED LOOP TOWEL CLAMP Charles A. Nickason, 1581 Rupert St., Vancouver 6, British Columbia, Canada Filed Aug. 30, 1968, Ser. No. 756,545 Int. Cl. A44b 21/00 U.S. Cl. 29-263 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clamp for holding a towel, wash cloth, or the like, on a Wall which includes a loop member and a clamp member slidably mounted thereon wherein the clamping member has two parts, one being located on each of opposite sides of the loop so that when a cloth is threaded through the two members and the loop it is clamped by being pressed against the loop by each of the two members upon the application of a force on the cloth. Movement of the two parts of the slider is permitted toward and away from the loop by torsion bar members spaced from the portion of the slider which engages the cloth. The torsion bars are also positioned so as to limit sliding movement of the slider relative to the loop.

This invention relates to a clamp and more particularly, to an improved clamp for use in detachably securing towels, washcloths, or the like to a wall or the like support.

Disclosed in applicants United States Pat. 3,160,937 issued Dec. 15, 1964, is a towel clamp consisting of a closed wire-like loop having a slider movable therealong, such slider consisting of a pair of arcuate bars interconnected adjacent each of the opposed ends. Disclosed in the above patent are various means for limiting movement of the slider relative to the loop so as to retain the slider on the loop. As disclosed in the patent, this is accomplished by variously shaping the loop to provide abutments engageable with the slider at various selected positions. In the patented device, the slider is arcuate and co-operates with an arcuate end portion of the loop to perform a clamping action on a flexible article. Preferably, the slider and loop arcuate portions are substantially the same size, and since the loop is formed from a resilient piece of material such as wire, plastic or the like, the application of sufiicient force could result in removing the slider from the loop.

In a further proposal, a positive connection is provided between the slider and the loop while, at the same time permitting sliding movement of the slider relative to the loop. The positive connection is provided by having opposed end portions of the slider completely embracing respective ones of a pair of legs of the loop. The slider is thus positively retained on the loop but as in the aforementioned patented structure, the slider is an incomplete loop.

An object of a broad aspect of the present invention is the provision of an improved sliding connection between the slider and the loop which also provides means for limiting the relative sliding movement and for retaining the slider on the loop. Accordingly, the present invention concerns providing portions on the slider to cooperate with selected portions of the loop, thereby both retaining the slider on the loop and limiting the relative sliding movement of the slider.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a slider with improved bending characteristics which, as will be seen hereinafter, are provided by the slider being eifectively a closed loop.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention,

there is provided, in a clamping device including a loop 3,621,538 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 ice provided by a generally U-shaped member having a pair of legs interconnected by an arcuate portion adjacent one end thereof and a grasping member slidably mounted on such loop for relative movement with respect thereto between two limit positions, said grasping member including two pairs of bars, each pair of bars being interconnected by an arcuate portion, one such interconnected pair of bars being located on each of opposite sides of the loop member, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting members, each connecting member having a pair of arms, the ends of each of the pair of arms having portions operatively associated with respective legs of the loop member and effectively interconnecting the associated arms of each pair of arms, the connecting members each interconnecting the respective pair of bars of the grasping member at a location remote from the arcuate portion, the arms of one of the connecting members overlapping the arms of the other connecting member.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect of this invention, the connecting members are generally U-shaped, with the pair of arms interconnected by an arcuate portion.

In another embodiment of this aspect of this invention, the interconnecting members each include two arms, with the ends of each of the arms being provided with hook portions embracing an associated leg of the closed loop member.

In yet another embodiment of this aspect of this invention, the overlapping arms of the interconnecting members are connected to one another by a strap member, which preferably also or alternatively just retains the joined arms in predetermined spaced apart relation.

In still another embodiment of either of the above embodiments of this invention, the closed loop, generally U- shaped member is provided, at an end remote from the interconnecting arcuate portion, with means for securing the clamp to an object, for example a wall.

In a more restricted aspect of the present invention, a slider for a clamp of the foregoing type is provided, the slider consisting of two pairs of bars, each pair of bars being connected one to the other adjacent one end by an arcuate portion to form a pair of spaced apart generally U-shaped grasping members, the grasping members being interconnected to each other by means of a pair of generally U-shaped connecting members, each connecting member having a pair of arms interconnected to each other at one end by an arcuate portion, the other end of a selected one of the bars of each of the U-shaped grasping members being connected to the other end of the arms of a selected connecting member, the other end of the remaining bar of each of the U-shaped grasping members being connected to the other end of the arms of the other connecting member, the arms of one of the connecting members overlapping the arms of the other connecting member.

In an embodiment of this aspect of this invention, means are provided for connecting the overlapping arms together.

In another embodiment of this aspect of this invention, means are provided for retaining the overlapping arms in spaced apart relation.

In still another embodiment of this aspect of this invention, means are provided which connect the overlapping arms together and also retain them in spaced apart relation.

In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a slider for use in a clamping device Which includes a generally U-shaped loop member having two legs interconnected at one end by an arcuate portion and a slider movable longitudinally therealong within selected limits, said slider comprising a pair of arcuate bars adapted to be located one on each of opposite sides of the loop member, each of said arcuate bars terminating at each of opposite ends thereof in a further bar portion extending from one leg of the loop to a corresponding opposite leg of the loop and means anchoring the end of said further bars adjacent said opposite leg whereby said further bars act as torsion springs resisting movement of the respective arcuate bars outwardly away from one another.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a clamp of one aspect of the present invention consisting of a closed loop and a slider with the latter in a position to facilitate inserting a flexible material to be grasped by the clamp;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the clamp shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view illustrating a flexible article engaged by the loop and slider, with the slider in partial clamping position;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a clamp as illustrated in FIG. 1 with a flexible piece of material engaged by the slider and the loop;

FIG. 5 is an oblique View of the slider element constructed in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is an oblique view of a portion of the slider element constructed in accordance with a further aspect of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is illustrated in FIG. 1, a clamp for use in holding flexible material such as washcloths, towels, or the like. The clamp consists of a closed loop member 20* having a slider 40 relatively slidably movable with respect to the loop member for clamping a flexible article 70 in a manner to be described with particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The closed loop 20 consists of a generally U-shaped member 21 having a pair of spaced apart legs 22 and 23 interconnected adjacent one end by an arcuate portion 24. The arcuate portion 24 is preferably a segment of a circle and, if desired, may have an outer diameter slightly greater than the corresponding outermost distance across the legs 22 and 23. The opposite ends of the legs 22 and 23 preferably are offset inwardly toward one another providing at the offset respective shoulder portions 25, 26 which merge into substantially parallel slide guiding uprights 27, 28 terminating respectively in portions 29, 30 turned inwardly to engage an anchoring member 80. The anchoring member illustrated in section in FIG. 1 consists of block 31 having opposed recesses receiving respectively the inwardly turned portions 29 and 30. Attached to the body is a hook 32.

The slider 40 includes a pair of arcuate bar members 41 and 42. Arcuate bar member 41 comprises a pair of spaced apart bars 43, 44 interconnected adjacent their lower ends by an arcuate portion 45. Similarly, arcuate bar member 42 comprises a pair of spaced apart bars 46, 47 interconnected adjacent their lower ends by an arcuate portion 48. Arcuate portions 45 and 48 preferably conform in shape to one another and to the shape of the loop arcuate portion 24. Arcuate bar members 41, 42 are, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, interconnected at their upper ends respectively, by connecting members 49, 50. Connecting member 49 comprises a pair of parallel arms 51, 52 interconnected at one end by an arcuate portion 53. Similarly, connecting member 50 comprises a pair of parallel arms 54, 55 interconnected at one end by an arcuate portion 56. The free ends of arms 51, 52 are joined, in this case integrally, to the upper free end of bars 46, 43 respectively, while the free ends of arms '54, 55 are joined, in this case integrally, to to the upper free ends of bars 47, 44 respectively. In this way, arms 51, 52 overlap arms 54, 55 respectively.

A cross link member 57 is provided to join arms 51, 52, 54, 55. The link 57 is provided with a downwardly extending portion 58 and a clasp portion 59 to join arms 51, 54 together, and a corresponding downwardly extending portion 60 and clasp portion 61 to join arms 52, 55 together. Bridge portion 62 of cross link member 57 retains the joined arms in spaced apart relationship.

The arcuate bars 41 and 42 are disposed, respectively, one on each side of opposed sides of the closed loop 21 and are disposed in a pair of spaced substantially parallel planes. The arcuate bars 41 and 42 correspond in shape to the arcuate end portion 24 and preferably they are the segment of a circle having substantially the same radius as the portion 24.

In the preferred embodiment as shown, the slider is formed from a single length of wire to form, as one continuous element, bar 43, arcuate portion 45, bar 44, arm 55, arcuate portion 56, arm 54, bar 47, arcuate portion 48, bar 46, arm 51, arcuate portion '53- and arm 52.

In the embodiment shown partially in FIG. 6, the connecting element 49 is provided at one end by two cooperating elements associated with a respective leg 27 of the closed loop member 20 and similarly, two co-operating elements (not shown) with leg 28. Thus, arms 51 and 52 are not joined together by an arcuate portion 53 as shown in FIG. 5 nor are arms 54 and 55 connected by an arcuate portion 56. Instead, arm 51 is provided with an arcuate portion 83 terminating in a hook portion 84 which embraces leg 27. Similarly, arm 52 is provided with an arcuate portion 81 terminating in hook portion 82 which also embraces leg 27. In effect, then, the co-operation between embracing hooks 82, 84 and leg 27 effectively interconnects arms 51 and 52 together. Although not shown, arms '54 and 55 are provided with similar arcuate portions and hook portions to embrace leg 28.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that the interconnections between the components of the slider provide limits for restricting the sliding movement of the same relative to the loop. In the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 5), a limit of the downward sliding movement (as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4) is provided by abutment of the shoulder portions 25, 26 with arcuate portions 53, 56 respectively. The limit of the upward movement is provided by abutment of the upper surface of bridge portion 62 and a co-operating portion of the clamp anchoring member 80. If the cross link member 57 is absent, the limit of upward movement of the slider 40 is provided by abutment of the upper surface of arms 51, 52 and a cooperating portion of the clamp anchoring member 80.

As previously described in the aforementioned United States Pat. 3,160,937, clamping is eflected by movement of the arcuate bars 41 and 42 in a direction toward one another upon the application of a force to a cloth 70 when threaded therethrough in a manner as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Application of a force to the free end of the flexible member or cloth 70 forces the bars 41 and 42 toward one another clampingly to engage the opposite end of the material between the respective bar arcuate portions 45, 48 and the arcuate portion 24 of the loop located therebetween.

Movement of the arcuate arms 41 and 42 toward and away from one another results in bending stresses at each of opposed ends of the arcuate members. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the bending stress is distributed over a substantial area by virtue of the connecting portions 49, 50 and the arcuate portions 41, 42.

The arcuate bars 41 and 42 and/or the connecting end portions 50, 51 are made of a springy, flexible material such as spring steel, plastic or the like.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, sliding movement of the slider 40 relative to the loop 20 is provided at one position by shoulders 25 and/or 26 and at a second position by shoulders at the junction of respective portions 27 and 28 and their respective associated ends 29 and 30.

In each of the foregoing embodiments the slider effectively consists of two arcuate bars located one on each side of the' loop 20. Each arcuate bar terminates in a further bar portion which extends from one leg of the loop to the other leg. These further bar portions effectively are torsion bars which permit the arcuate bars to be moved away from and toward the loop.

With reference to FIG. one arcuate bar includes legs 43 and 44 interconnected by a portion 45 and the further bars are respectively indicated as 52 and 55. With reference to FIG. 1, bar 55 extends from the loop leg 27 to the leg 28 while the further bar 52 extends from leg 28 to the leg 27.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the further bars 52 and 55 are connected by respective ends 53 and 56 to bars 51 and 54 located on the other side of the loop. The connecting ends 53 and 56 anchor bars 51, 52, 54 and 55 such that they form torsion bars resisting movement of the arcuate ends 45 and 48 toward and away from one another.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the resisting force on the torsion bars is provided by the hooked ends which slidably embrace the respective legs 27 and 28.

I claim:

'1. A clamping device including a loop provided by a generally U-shaped member having a pair of legs interconnected by an arcuate portion adjacent one end thereof and a grasping member slidably mounted on the loop member for relative movement with respect thereto between two limit positions, said grasping member including a pair of members each having a pair of bars interconnected by an arcuate portion corresponding to outline shape to the legs and arcuate portion of said loo said pair of members being located respectively one on each of a pair of opposite sides of the loop member and joined by a pair of connecting members at a position spaced from the arcuate portion thereof, each one of said pair of connecting members including a pair of arms having adjacent end portions at least partially embracing one leg of the loop member for sliding therealong and opposite adjacent end portions connected, adjacent the other leg of the loop member, to respective ones of the pair of members of the grasping member, said adjacent end portions of one of said pair of connecting members being associated with one leg of said loop member and the similar adjacent ends of the other connecting member being associated with the other of said pair of legs of the loop member, said pair of arms of one of said connecting members overlapping respective ones of the arms of said connecting members respectively on said opposed sides of said loop member to an extent such that the bars of the grasping member and arcuate portion thereof correspond in outline shape to that of the pair of legs and arcuate portion of the loop.

2. The clamping device of claim 1 wherein said adjacent end portions of the respective connecting members have hook portions embracing the leg associated there with of the loop member.

3. The clamping device of claim 1 wherein each of said connecting members are generally U-shaped, with a pair of arms interconnected by an arcuate portion.

4. The clamping device of claim 1 including means for connecting the overlapping arms together.

5. The clamping device of claim 1 including means for retaining the overlapping arms in spaced apart relation.

6. The clamping device of claim 1 including means for connecting the overlapping arms together and means for retaining the overlapping arms in spaced apart relation.

7. The clamping device of claim 1 wherein the loop, generally U-shaped member is provided at an end, remote from the interconnecting arcuate portion, with means for securing the clamp to base means.

8. The clamping device of claim 1 wherein the generally U-shaped loop member is provided at an end, remote from the interconnecting arcuate portion, with means for securing the clamp to base means and including means for connecting the overlapping arms together and means for retaining the overlapping arms in spaced apart relation.

9. A one-piece slider for a clamp, said slider consisting of two pairs of bars, each of the bars of the respec tive pair being connected one to the other adjacent one end by an arcuate portion and together forming a pair of spaced apart generally U-shaped grasping members, the grasping members being interconnected to each other by means of a pair of generally U-shaped connecting members, each said connecting member including a pair of arms interconnected to each other at one end by an arcuate portion, and at the opposite end to respective ones of adjacent bars of the V-shaped grasping members, the arms of one of the connecting members overlapping the arms of the other connecting member respectively on opposite sides of a plane passing between said pair of grasping members.

10. The slider of claim 9 including separate means for connecting the overlapping arms together.

11. The slider of claim 9 including separate means for retaining the overlapping arms in spaced apart relation.

12. The slider of claim 9 including separate means for connecting the overlapping arms together and means for retaining the overlapping arms in spaced apart relation.

13. A slider for use in a clamping device which includes a generally U-shaped lo-op member having two legs interconnected at one end by an arcuate portion and a slider movable longitudinally therealong within selected limits, said slider comprising a pair of bars corresponding in outline shape to the legs and arcuate portion of the loop and adapted to be located one on each of opposite sides thereof, each of said bars terminating at each of opposite ends thereof in a further bar portion extending from one leg of the loop to a corresponding opposite leg of the loop and means anchoring the end of said further bars adjacent said opposite leg whereby said further bars act as torsion springs resisting movement of the respective bars outwardly away from one another.

14. A slider as defined in claim 13 wherein the pair of further bars on one bar are connected to respective ones of the pair of further bars of the other bar and thereby provides said means anchoring the further bars so as to act as torsion springs.

15. A device as defined in claim 13 wherein said further bars each terminate in a hook portion slidably embracing respective ones of the legs of the loop thereby providing said means anchoring the further bars so as to act as torsion springs.

16. An improved clamping device including in combination:

(a) a generally U-shaped loop member having a pair of legs interconnected at one end by an arcuate portion; and

(b) a slider movably mounted on said loop for sliding movement longitudinally therealong within selected limits, said slider comprising a pair of bars located one on each of opposite sides of the loop and corresponding to the outline shape of the legs and arcuate portion thereof, each of said bars terminating at each of opposite ends thereof in a further bar portion extending from one leg of the loop to the opposite leg and means anchoring the end adjacent said opposite leg of the further bars whereby the latter act as torsion springs resisting movement of the respective bars of the slider outwardly away from one another.

17. A clamp as defined in claim 16 wherein said loop includes a portion of the length of the legs, remote from the arcuate portion, otf-set inwardly toward one another providing a shoulder at the junction of the off-set with the remainder of the loop, said off-set engaging said further bars and thereby providing a limit for sliding movement of the slider relative to the loop in one direction.

18. A device as defined in claim 15 wherein the legs of the loop each include a further off-set portion spaced longitudinally with respect to the other off-set and where in said further bars terminate in a hook portion slidably embracing the respective legs between the spaced off-set portions therein, said hook portions abutting said spaced off-sets and thus providing limits for movement of the slider relative to the loop.

19. A slider as defined in claim 16 wherein the pair of further bars on one bar of the slider are connected to respective ones of the pair of further bars of the other bar of the slider thereby providing said means anchoring the further bars so as to act as torsion springs.

20. A device as defined in claim 16 wherein said further bars each terminate in a hook portion slidably embracing respective ones of the pair of legs of the loop thereby providing said means anchoring the further bars so as to act as torsion springs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS PETER M. CAUN, Primary Examiner 

